


love me (that's all I ask of you)

by j_gabrielle



Category: Aquaman (2018)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Not Related, Angst with a Happy Ending, Light Angst, M/M, Misunderstandings
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-08
Updated: 2019-01-08
Packaged: 2019-10-06 17:30:07
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,856
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17349512
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/j_gabrielle/pseuds/j_gabrielle
Summary: He had to leave the heat and the noise of the ballroom before he did something stupid like kissing Arthur as if he had a claim on the man.





	love me (that's all I ask of you)

**Author's Note:**

> If you've not treated your eyeballs to the loveliness that is Patrick Wilson in The Phantom of The Opera, do so. He's so lovely I died. Also, the title is shamelessly lifted from 'All I Ask Of You' sung by Patrick Wilson and Emmy Rossum from said movie adaptation.

The cold January night air stings his face the moment he steps through into the quiet and solitude of the garden. Immediately, Orm wishes he had some forethought to bring a coat or a cloak. Wrapping his arms around himself, he walks to the gazebo and the brazier the servants had left out for anyone who'd need to venture out. It's not enough, but it would do for the time he will take to calm himself. 

Orm inhales the crisp air, exhaling just to watch his breath puff almost white in the silver moonlight. That last glass of wine courses through his blood, sending both irrationality and viscous jealousy bubbling to the surface of his carefully cultivated facade when they join the numerous glasses he'd had throughout dinner and the day. He had to leave the heat and the noise of the ballroom before he did something stupid like kissing Arthur as if he had a claim on the man.

Seating himself by the brazier, he tries to leech in as much warmth as he can from it. Sucking in air between his teeth, he looks out over the frost covered garden, still sleeping and waiting for spring to wake their buds and blooms. Orm bites the inside of his cheek. Just like me, he thinks.

Someone laughs from the inside of the house, and he hears it over the faint hums of the music and conversation. 

Today is meant to be the day Arthur announces his engagement to the lovely Lady Mera, as is what was expected of them both as members of old families with too much riches and a biological need to preserve said riches. It isn't as if Orm could begrudge Lady Mera for this. She was perfectly witty and charming, and Orm has no doubt that in a different life, they could even have been friends. 

They'd both known it was coming; their last coupling had bordered on desperate, clinging to every moment they could steal from the fates above, frantic and emotional in the ways Orm had tried to rein in so as to not let Arthur in on his private heartbreak. He thinks Arthur could taste it in his lips anyways; even as he is kissed and caressed and loved with such tenderness and ardour that the ghost press of Arthur's fingers on his skin still lingers on him now. The thought does little to soothe the swell of anguish in him. 

If he had to lose the love of his life to anyone, Lady Mera would be them. She would make a lovely wife for Arthur. Be everything for him that Orm could not. Give him the things he wanted that Orm could not. He sighs at the thought of Arthur and Mera years from now in this very house with children of their own. Would he still be welcomed here? Or would he be consigned to a place in the distance? A fond memory from Arthur's past that has no shape or purpose in the now? Or worse still, would he be expected to participate? Be apart of their lives and expected to smile and love their children as his own? Knowing his best friend, Arthur would try to keep him close. Try to involve Orm as much as possible in his life going forward. Would he be so cruel as to make him godfather to those nameless, faceless children?

Orm feels his ribs constrict. He really should go in soon, but the prospect of having to pull on every reserve of energy to maintain an air of cheer is making him nauseous. Perhaps he can beg off. Steal away through the side door, collect his coat. No, his things are in his usual room upstairs. Orm closes his eyes, sniffling. He doesn't know how he can possibly stomach another minute of this. 

The moment the thought of leaving anyways occurs, a warm weight envelopes him and hides him from the cold. He startles, jumping out of his skin.

"There you are." Arthur is smiling when he turns to him. One which dims considerably when he takes in the state of Orm. "Have you been crying?"

"No." He sniffles again, wiping at his nose and eyes furiously. "It's just the cold."

Gentle hands pull him close by the wrist. Arthur warms his chilled fingers with his breath, blowing on them and rubbing life back into them. "You always do this." He murmurs. If it were meant as an admonishment, the effect is ruined by the love Orm clearly sees in his eyes. Arthur tugs him closer still. Pressing thighs together, lifting a hand to cradle Orm's cheek as he caresses the starburst of freckles under red-rimmed blue eyes. "Why do you hide from me? Still, after all this time, you hide from me when you are upset."

"Today is supposed to be a happy occasion for you." Orm shakes his head, snatching his hands from Arthur's hold. Making to move away, he is stopped by a quick embrace. He instinctively relaxes into the familiar shape of Arthur against him, the familiar tickle of his well-trimmed beard on his skin. "Let go, Arthur."

"No."

"Anyone can see us."

"No." Arthur shapes the word against the side of his head. Orm exhales, shuddering. His breath wisps and plumes in the air. 

"Arthur," Orm's voice breaks on the last syllable. "Arthur, you have to let me go."

He keeps his eyes downcast, vision blurring with tears. His head spins and the world tilts, and the knot of misery that has been lodged in his chest unravels, and he sobs. That causes Arthur to pull back, tilting his face up in alarm. "Orm, darling? Why are you crying?"

He hiccups, and fresh hot tears streak down his face. Orm thinks he hasn't cried this hard since he broke his arm from a fall in this very garden when he was ten. He hiccups again, and Arthur is shielding him in the circle of his arms. As if by holding him tight, he can shield Orm from any of the old hurts that haunts him. A child-like act of familiar protectiveness that had worked when they were boys playing in the summer, then when Orm's mother died at childbirth, then when Orm had had been sent to far flung distant shores and that was the first time they'd ever been apart for more than a few weeks. 

Orm tucks his face into the collar of Arthur's shirt. Closing his eyes, blaming his weak nature that this calms him still, when he should've weaned himself off this at the first instance Arthur brought up Lady Mera in their private moments.

"You can let go now." Orm says softly.

"Not until you tell me what's wrong. And don't tell me that there's nothing wrong, because my father and mother are worried enough about you to voice it to me."

Orm bites his inner cheek again. Yet another thing he must relinquish. He splays his hands on Arthur's lapels, feeling a fresh wave of despair wash through him. "Please Arthur, you have to let me go. Please, I beg of you, do not be cruel in this."

"Cruel?" Arthur huffs, forcibly seating them. He catches Orm's hands in his again. "Orm, why would I be cruel?"

Must he spell it out for him! Orm swallows and steels himself. "You're to marry the Lady Mera. This cannot continue, and therefore I cannot stay by your side."

"Mera?" His beautiful Arthur frowns, honeysouled eyes clouded in confusion before it clears in understanding. When he cups Orm's cheeks between his hands, he holds his gaze insistently. "Orm, is that what you think tonight is about? That I am declaring my intention to marry Mera? Is that why you have been acting so strange these past weeks?" He laughs. "Oh, Orm, for someone so brilliant, you can be incredibly dense. I'm not declaring my intention to marry Mera, I'm declaring my intention to marry you!"

"What?" Orm stutters, wide eyed.

Arthur sweeps him into a kiss, deepening it when Orm responds fervently. "My silly, silly man. How I love you." He sighs when they part, eyes sparkling in the moonlight. "I thought it was obvious that I would never entertain the thought of marrying anyone else but you. Remember? Remember the promise I made to you?"

"Say you love me every waking moment," Orm recites, the words of a long forgotten vow coming back to him. "Say you'll share with me one love, one lifetime."

"Anywhere you go, let me go too," Arthur continues, breath swirling between them and smiling gently. He cards his fingers through Orm's blonde locks, ruffling them free from the styling. "Say the word and I will follow you." He kisses Orm once again. "I meant it then, I mean it now. Orm, I'd hoped to had asked this in front of all our friends and family, but will you marry me? Marry me and let me be your shelter. Marry me, and let me make you the happiest man."

The cold seems to fade into the background when he throws his arms around Arthur's shoulders, giddy and breathless with joy, kissing his beloved's face. Arthur picks him up and swings him in a circle, both of them laughing. "Is this is a yes?" Arthur asks urgently.

"Yes, it's a yes!" Orm shakes his head. "I've been a fool."

Arthur tips him up, eyes fond. "Yes, but I'm the fool who's marrying you. So we will be well-matched indeed." Orm ducks his head shyly, but he is soon is coaxed into another series of kisses. "We shall be having a talk about how you could have made that leap to a conclusion that I would leave you to marry someone else."

"Well, you were talking about Lady Mera when you were in bed with me." Orm mutters, scuffing his shoes. "What was I supposed to think?"

"Lady Mera's family owns several mines. I would've thought you'd have gleaned as much from the meetings we'd had with her. I was working with her to shape an appropriate engagement ring for you." Pausing, Arthur looks sheepishly. "Now I see that I should have taken into account that me bringing her to meet you would have been misconstrued." Running his thumb under Orm's eyes, he wipes away any tears. "I wanted this to be a surprise. I'm sorry if it has made you sad."

Orm shakes his head, sniffling again, but this time, he is happily nuzzling into his touch. "You can spend the rest of our lives making it up to me." He declares imperiously, the corners of his lips tilted up.

"Of course darling, but," Arthur jerks his head back towards the house. "Might I suggest we start by returning back inside? I think Mother's anxious to hear about our engagement, and I'd like to put a ring on you before the night is over."

And really, what was there left to do but for Orm to slide their hands together, and together, they take their first steps back into the warmth of hearth and home.

**Author's Note:**

> I have never, will never, allow any reposting or translations of my works without my permission. All of my works will and shall only be hosted on my personal accounts on AO3 (j_gabrielle), Dreamwidth (j_gabrielle) and Tumblr (randomingoftherandomness, hardheartshere).
> 
> For those who say that I never said anything, it is clearly stated on my AO3 profile bio.
> 
> I do not have a Twitter account. 
> 
> I do not have a Wattpad account. 
> 
> **Please Do Not Repost My Fics**


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